Tone Report Weekly 196 - Page 27

SIGNATURE
GUITARS
Sometimes something is around so briefly
it’s hard to confirm if its even real. Signature
Guitars was only around for three years,
not helped by a name that sounds like a
music version of “Who’s On First” waiting
to happen. (“What guitar do you play?
Signature guitars. Whose signature?”). In
seriousness, Signature got its name thanks
to the company’s willingness to put the
player’s name on the 12th fret of every
guitar as a signature. Formed by Canadian
luthier Russ Heinl, Signature guitars
boasted quality woods, active EMG pickups
with unique selector options, and locking
tremolos. The guitars got most famous
thanks to Rush’s Alex Lifeson playing them
during Rush’s synth period in the late ‘80s,
and eventually through Pink Floyd touring
bassist Guy Pratt.
So why aren’t they bigger?
The ‘80s was an especially cutthroat decade
for guitar companies, and basically, if it
wasn’t cheap and couldn’t be played by
an LA metal band it wasn’t going to take
off. With an emphasis on clean, bright
tones and a $2000 price tag, Signature
just couldn’t keep up. The company shut
its doors in 1990, ironically when Alex
Lifeson accidentally damaged his main
Signature on Rush’s Presto tour during a
guitar change—a tragic end for a unique
company.
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